[Nfbnet-members-list] Print to Braille in Seconds: HumanWare Partners with KNFB Reader, LLC and National Federation of the Blind

[Morey, Kristian]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Chris Danielsen
Director of Public Relations
National Federation of the Blind
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330
(410) 262-1281 (Cell)
<mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org>cdanielsen at nfb.org

CONTACT:
Nicolas Lagacé
Marketing Communications Manager
HumanWare
(888) 723-7273
<mailto:Nicolas.Lagace at humanware.com>Nicolas.Lagace at humanware.com


Print to Braille in Seconds:
HumanWare Partners with KNFB Reader, LLC and National Federation of the Blind

Longueuil, Quebec, and Baltimore, Maryland (July 
25, 2016): Nearly every blind person encounters 
print material on a daily basis­whether it is a 
paper handout in a classroom or meeting, 
inaccessible content on a screen, or personal 
mail. In the past such situations would require 
the blind person to ask for assistance and, 
often, to wait for that assistance. The launch of 
KNFB Reader for smartphones forever changed the 
significance of receiving an inaccessible piece 
of paper. Now a blind user can simply snap a 
picture using their smartphone and have the print read to the user in seconds.

HumanWare, KNFB Reader, LLC (KNFB), and the 
National Federation of the Blind (NFB) have taken 
instant access to print content even further. 
Both HumanWare and NFB have always been primary 
advocates of Braille literacy and share the 
belief that Braille literacy is directly related 
to success in employment. Building from this 
belief, along with a desire to empower blind 
people with a tool that can turn print into 
Braille in seconds, HumanWare, KNFB, and the NFB 
have partnered together to offer the KNFB Reader 
as a freely included app on the BrailleNote Touch.

“Someone once told me they dreamt of a world 
where all print material could instantly be 
replaced with Braille. Today, with this 
partnership, we are making that dream a reality,” 
said Greg Stilson, HumanWare’s Product Manager of Blindness Products.

This March HumanWare launched the BrailleNote 
Touch, the most powerful Braille productivity 
tool ever built. The first and only 
Google-certified Braille tablet, the BrailleNote 
Touch combines the efficiency and simplicity of a 
traditional Braille notetaker with the power and 
open mainstream apps of an Android tablet. 
Equipped with a customized touch surface or 
optional Braille keyboard, a built-in Braille 
display, and an 8-megapixel camera, the 
combination of the BrailleNote Touch and the KNFB Reader is a natural marriage.

“As an organization that strives every day to 
raise expectations for the blind, the National 
Federation of the Blind applauds the work 
HumanWare and Google have done to create an 
innovative product that breaks down the 
traditional barriers using assistive technology. 
It was only fitting to empower this technology 
with the best print recognition tool, and we are 
excited that BrailleNote Touch users will 
immediately have access to the KNFB Reader,” said 
Mark A. Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind.

HumanWare is aiming to include KNFB Reader in a 
free BrailleNote Touch update this September. All 
existing BrailleNote Touch users will receive a 
notification on their device when this update 
becomes available and can initiate the wireless update immediately.

###

For over 25 years, HumanWare’s inspirational 
vision has resulted in a range of highly 
intuitive and intelligent solutions that empower 
people who are blind or with low vision by giving 
them the independence to participate effectively 
within a sighted world. From advanced Braille 
products and electronic magnifiers to digital 
talking book players and beyond, our tools help 
end-users to live independently and compete effectively in today’s world.

For more information about HumanWare and the 
BrailleNote Touch, please visit: <http://www.humanware.com>www.humanware.com.

The National Federation of the Blind knows that 
blindness is not the characteristic that defines 
you or your future. Every day we raise the 
expectations of blind people, because low 
expectations create obstacles between blind 
people and our dreams. You can live the life you 
want; blindness is not what holds you back.

For more information about the National 
Federation of the Blind, please visit: <http://www.nfb.org>www.nfb.org.

To learn more about the KNFB Reader, please 
visit:  <http://www.knfbreader.com>http://www.knfbreader.com.


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